Angle plate indicator



March 8, 1955 T. FITZPATRICK 2,703,458

ANGLE PLATE INDICATOR Filed Oct. 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l a l /6 P z i n4 H a 0 )"fl INVENTOR. I 7 A? W ffivmsi'dgvflirzf March 8, 1955 FlTZPATRlCK 2,703,458

ANGLE PLATE INDICATOR Filed Oct. 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 6f? 3 f-Z;

I .434 wmsfigvafrzzi y I 5/ M A forming a slideway and having plates 18 and 19 secured i thereto by screws 20 and 21, which plates overhang a United States Patent 2,703,458 ANGLE PLATE INDICATOR Thomas-Fitzpatrick, Syracuse, N. Y.

Application October 5, 1950, Serial No. 188,603

3 Claims. (Cl. 33-174) This invention relates to a device for producing angular adjustments together with an indicator therefor and is more particularly concerned with a device of this type that is capable of producing extremely fine and accurate adjustments.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a device which is capable of producing adjustments in degrees, minutes, and seconds so that extreme accuracy in adjustments can be accomplished.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a a device such as described which is capable of use in a multiplicity of environments, the only change necessary being that of the manner in which the device is mounted.

A further object resides in the construction such as described wherein the mechanism is relatively simple and compact so as to occupya minimum of space. 0

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds, and while the illustrated form is shown as applied to an angle plate, it is to be understood that the invention is not 'to be so limited, but is'capable of application to a variety of members in which accurate angle adjustment is desired. For instance, the present, invention is designed for use with spacer plates and is capable of use in jig boring, grinding, milling, drilling, layout engraving, and in fact in almost any location where it is desired to angularly adjust an element in degrees, minutes, and seconds.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevation illustrating the present invention as applied to a plate the angle of which is to be adjusted,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of my invention,

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 4.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, it will be seen that the invention is shown as being applied to an adjustable angle plate which comprises a base 1, an adjustable angle plate 2, pivoted to upstanding lugs 3 and 4 secured to the base 1, the pivots being indicated at 5 and 6, and the angle plate 2 carries at opposite sides thereof arcuate arms 7 and 8 with the arm 7 being provided with rack teeth 9 along its outer edge.

Of course, the side face of the arm 7 is provided with suitable calibrations from Zero to 90 indicating degrees, and the arms 7 and 8 are provided with arcuate slots such as indicated at 10 cooperating with a stud 11 and thumb nut 12 by means of which the arms 7 and 8 may be fixed in adjusted position.

Mounted on the base 1 is a bracket 13 attached to the base 1 in any suitable manner such as by means of the screws 14 and 15. This bracket extends vertically and is provided with spaced longitudinally extending shoulders 16 and 17, providing a groove therebetween carriage 22 slidably mounted in the slideway.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the carriage 22 is provided with a recess 23 at the rear end thereof to receive a coil spring 24 abutting a rear wall 25 of the bracket 13 and 2,703,458 Patented Mar. 8, 1955 normally urging the carriage 22 away from said rear wall and towards the arcuate arm 7. I L

Extending through one wall of the bracket 13 is a, shaft 26 provided on one end with a cam 27 operating in a cam recess 28 in the carriage 22 and having at its,v other end an operating handle 29 by means of which the 'i cam 27 may be rotated to retract the carriage against] the force of the spring 24 and away from the arcuate arm 7. The contour of the cam recess is such that when the cam is rotated, the carriage 22'will not only be retracted, .1 but will be held in its retracted position against the action of the spring 24.

The bracket 13 likewise carries a minute adjusting. mechanism comprising a vertically extending shaft 30 carrying a knurled operating knob 31 at one end and, journalled for rotation in spaced bearings 32 and 33 carried by the carriage and having secured thereto for rotation therewith a worm gear 34 which is adapted to mesh with the gear teeth 9 in the arm 7 when the carriage is in its forward position.

Also mounted on the shaft 30 is a cylindrical member 35; the bearing 33 and cylindrical member 35 carry suitable calibrations as indicated at 36 indicating minutesw It will be seen that the cylindrical member 35 is attached to the knurled knob 31 by meansof a pin 37 so that the two operate together and rotate the shaft 30- and worm gear 34.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that when the f carriage 22 is in its forward position, the worm gear 34 meshes with the gear teeth 9 and by suitable operation of the knurled knob 31, the arm 7 is moved so as to swing the angle plate 2 about the pivot 5. Consequently, the; adjustment in degrees and minutes may be obtained by first moving the carriage 22 rearwardly so as to disengage the worm gear 34, after which the thumb nuts 12 may be loosened and the plate 2 swung to the approximate degree desired as indicated on the graduations on the arm 7 in conjunction with the pointer 38 carried by the bracket 13.

The handle 29 is then swung topermit the cam 27 to I allow the carriage 22 to move forwardly under the action of the spring 24, whereupon the gear 34 meshes with the teeth 9 and by suitable operation of the knurled knob 31, the adjustment in minutes can be obtained as shown I by the calibrations carried on the cylindrical member 36 and bearings 33. v

Referring to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the knurled v knob 31 is formed integral with a toothed rack wheel 39 and as shown in Fig. 3, a pawl 40 is pivoted to a swinging arm 42 and is spring-biased by means of the spring 41 so as to throw the pawl into engagement with the teeth on the wheel 39 so as to prevent movement of the wheel and consequently of the shaft 30 in one direction. By this construction, it will be apparent that the angle plate 2 may be moved in one direction only upon operation v a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The carriage 22 is provided with a bore 46 intersected by a slot 47 in which the free end of the arm 42 moves. the aperture 44 in the free end of the arm being located in the bore and the spring 45 normally biases the arm to move the aperture out of registration with the bore 46.

Mounted in the bore 46 is a sleeve 48 internally threaded to receive a threaded stem 49 having on operat ing knob 50 at one end and a conical point 51 at its opposite end.

The sleeve 48 and the knob 50 carry suitable graduations indicating seconds so that by operation of the knob 50, the angle plate 2 may be swung to obtain extremely fine and accurate adjustments.

Thisoperation-takes place as follows;

As indicated above, the arm 42 is normally swung by meansof the spring 45 so that the aperture 44 is out of register, with.the. bore. 46,. However theconical endjl, is'movable b'y th'e knobSiTsc that the .wallsofftheconial'. end bear. against thewalls of l'th'e. aperture,andfswing ,tll'e arm.42,towards the'posi-tion where the apertureAll-landl bore46willregister; In view off'tliefact-tliatllie arm 42; carries; the pawl" 40"whieh is"- imengagementwitli the, toothed wheel 39, it1willbe, apparentjfrom Fig, 31mm as: the? arm 42" swings so, as to cause; registry between: the". aperture" 44' and the bore 46;',rotary, movementisimparted to" the; toothediwheel) 39, and consequently to th'ei shaft30,' worm gear 3'4,,and*the arm :7]

From the-foregoing; itwilFbe seen that tlireeseparate. adjustments are possible by, the present construction, the firsfljeing provided toapproxir'natzithe angle in degrees. by moving the carriage 22rearwardly,to disengagelli'e.

wormgear from"the:rackiteeth 9whereupon the. plateylf a may 'be"swungyto'tlierapproximate angle. The cam 27' isthen operated toxpermit'the worm gear 34t07 engage with" the-teetli19, whereupon operation of the knurled knob"31 in one directionwill" cause further-movement of theplate 2.in accordancenwiththe,graduations inminutes; but being'prevented 'from rotatiom in the, opposite direction-by means ofithe'ipawl'i40Icarried"on'the arm 421, Furtherarlipstment ofthe' angle plate 2 is accomplished by'turnifrg theisecondsadjusting knob' 50, whereupon the conical end 51" ridesup or d'ownin the'aperture carried in theend of'th'e'arm 44; positively swingingthe arm 42" in one direction and.throug h.the pawl .40 rotative move ment is 'impartedto' tliertooth'edwheel 39 and eventually tor theangl p'laterfi tlie'retrograde movemenrof'i'the-arm 42"taling -place under the-influence? offtlie' spring 45130 that the, aperture -44and' bore- 46 'are out :of registry and' therside oftheconical end 51' bears "against the wall of the-aperture 44 in positionto swingjhe arm 42' in'a' clock wise direction (Fig; 31)? uppwmovement of'the' seconds adiustingknobfifl:

Iclairm 1. The'combinatiom with a, b'asercarryjng aipivotally' mountedplatenlfereon; said plate being'provided "with an" at'fcuate toothed arm carrying calibrations .irr degreesand having" means" to h'oldtlie plate at the, approximate; posi: tion? of", adjustment, of" a" bracket carried. by said base. having, a slidezwaydhereon; a carriage slidable in, said" way and carrying aworm wheel-meshing with 'the ;teeth 'on" saidiarm; a sh'aftcarrying said *worm wheel-i'and-fa'tooth'ed rack wheel andhaving calibrations in minutes'zassociated therewith. means for rotating ,said .shaft to'adjust the-said" plate; and means-:foradjusting;said plate=byseconds'also carried" by said'carriage; said last named means comprise ing, an apertured arm carried by, the worm wheel shaft and freely rotatable thereabout in one direction, a pawl carried by the apertured arm and engaging said tooth rack wheel to impart movement to said worm wheel when the apertured arm is moved in the opposite direction, and a stem having a conical end projecting into the aperture and engaging the wallrthereof, said stern being movable to swing said apertured"arrrr'and having calibration in seconds associatedtlrerewitlrn f 2. A device for adjusting an angularly ad uStabIe member carrying; aaraekaportiomcomprisingea bracket, minute and seconds adjustingmechanism for said member carrid by said blraeket; saidfmeclr'anism'comprising a worm wheel adaptedstmeugage saithrack; portion, a rotary worm shaft securedtosaid wormwh'eel and having calibrations in minutes associated therewith, an apertured arm freely rotatable about said shaft in one direction, meansforlocking the arm and shaft for rotation together when moved iirr the opposite'uirectio'n", ,and" a: stem" having a conicalJend movableinrsard apertureno swingjthe'arm andarotate saidworm wheel.

31 A device fort adjusting an' angularly' adjustable member. carrying, a racl; portion comprising a bracket; minute: and. seconds adfustiiigjmechanism for said? m'ember.carried by saidbracket, said mechanism comprising a worm wheeladaptdtoeugagesaid racle'portiom a' rotary worm. shaft.secured to saidifworm'wheelandh'avingjcalibl'HIiOIIS; in minutes associated: therewith; an apertured arm, freely rotatablei about. said" shafttin: one" direction, means for locking, the" arm and' shaft" for, rotation together" wherr'moved' iirthbt'oppofltemlirection and'i'a'stem having a conical end; movable ifr'said aperture"to 'swing thc-arm androtate saidiwornriwh'eel," and-means for bias- Referenceszitedfinr of' this'patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS 

